Soul Science
S2Evolution
Call Us: +1.561.512.4760
During this time of COVID-19, think about what your subconscious is recording: people wearing masks, caution tape on playgrounds, death tolls statistics, stories of patients dying alone in hospitals, unemployment numbers going up, etc. All of these images are letting your subconscious know that “I am not safe...my family is not safe”. One of the components of traumatic stress is the fear of the unknown...when will this end, what will my life be like?
Lesson from COVID-19
As our population continues to age, easy and safe access to healthcare will become more and more limited and costly. We must change our mindset from: “I will just get a prescription from my doctor” and take active responsibility of our own health.
The Bad News
It is common knowledge that one of the greatest things we can do for our health is manage our stress. However, there is extraordinarily little literature on how to effectively manage your stress in real time. Yes, exercise and meditation are great for your overall health, but if your boss does something at 2pm that triggers anger, frustration or another overwhelming feeling, your early morning run or start-of-the-day visualization is not going to stop the dump of 1,400 stress chemicals into your body.
This hormonal chemical dump is only a part of the human “Fight/Flight Response”. Our subconscious mind, which is 1,000 x’s faster than our conscious mind, also tells our liver to stop detoxing, our digestion to shut down and sends oxygen to the large limb muscles getting the body ready to run, fight or hide. Because our subconscious can’t distinguish between a real threat (bear chasing you) or a perceived threat (thought of a bear chasing you), it automatically triggers the “Fight or Flight” reaction every time you experience a stressful situation. Self-preservation is always the subconscious’ top priority and will easily override rational thought and behavior with fear and panic. Studies show that anger hormones stay in the body for up to five hours after a stressful incident.
To make matters worse, a chemical barrier forms around the brain’s amygdala blocking access to higher analytical reasoning. This is why articles like: “10 Tips to Managing Stress” that suggest “just choose better thoughts” don’t work. When we are “triggered” it is unrealistic to assume we can quickly think our way out of an emotional-chemical reaction.
Our subconscious mind is responsible for 95% of our behavior and runs at 100,000 mph. The primary function of the subconscious is self-preservation. Because the subconscious cannot distinguish between a real threat such as a bear chasing you or a perceived threat (the thought of a bear chasing you), it automatically triggers the “Fight or Flight” reaction every time we have a fearful thought or negative emotional reaction.
Many describe this mental fear loop as if their mind is on a hamster wheel spinning negative thoughts round and round. Basically, the ‘danger’ alarm has been pulled and your subconscious mind is running the show. It’s not your fault. This is a primordial and immensely powerful subconscious program. As humans, we have lived many more years in caves fighting to survive than we have driving around in our cozy SUV’s. Self-preservation is hardwired into our DNA.
Your subconscious is like a multi-sense processor, recording everything we see, hear, feel, touch, taste, and smell. Have you ever walked by someone wearing your mother’s perfume and thoughts of her or her face will immediately pop into your mind? Or perhaps a favorite song from high school plays on the radio and you are transported back to the time you and your friends sang it in your car?
During this time of COVID-19, think about what your subconscious is recording: people wearing masks; caution tape on playgrounds; death toll statistics; stories of patients dying alone in hospitals; unemployment numbers going up; etc. All of these images are letting your subconscious know that “I am not safe...my family is not safe.” One of the components of traumatic stress is the fear of the unknown. For example, when will this end and what will my life be like after this? Even if you are not consciously aware of these thoughts, your subconscious is thinking them.
The Good News
You can override the “Fight or Flight” reaction and even program in a new response to stress. The technique is called the whole brain posture. It is simple and typically takes under five minutes.
How does it work?
The whole brain posture relaxes us out of the higher frequency beta brain waves into the slower alpha and theta waves which are super-learning and creative problem-solving states. Most adults operate in the beta state and have a difficult time obtaining the alpha state except when dreaming or right before sleep. (There are many methods of accessing the different brainwave frequencies. Meditation and hypnosis are common but usually take more practice and time).
WHOLE BRAIN POSTURE
From a seated position, simply cross your feet at the ankles, and then hold your arms out in front of you parallel to the ground, palms facing outwards. Next, cross your wrists, left over right, now your palms will be facing each other, clasp your palms together and interlace your fingers. Now place your hands in your lap or roll up into chest and relax. Place your tongue at the roof of your mouth and breathe in through your nose. The action of having your limbs cross over the central energy meridians of your body reinforces the crossover connections between the two hemispheres of the brain.
Close your eyes, breathe in through your nose and place your tongue at the roof of your mouth. Putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth, closes the circuit between two meridians allowing you to retain the energy from your breath. Breathing in through your nose, activates the parasympathetic system. You will instantly feel your mind and body begin to relax.
After a few breaths, imagine the stressful situation, person or event. Allow all thoughts and feelings to come up and process. Remain in this position and continue this process doing this until you feel yourself shift to a place of peace, detachment and/or relief. Allow the conscious mind to be still, there is nothing it needs to fix or figure out because the subconscious will do the work automatically.
When you feel a shift to a place of peace, and/or relief, unlock your ankles and wrists and put your feet flat on the floor. Steeple your fingertips together (thumb to thumb, index to index, and, so on) and lock in that new feeling of peace/detachment/relief for 5 or more seconds with your eyes open, looking down to the floor. (Step 4 is like the save button on your computer. Remember to save your good work!!!)
SCIENCE BEHIND THE TECHNIQUE
Benefits of Whole Brain Posture
- Induces Alpha Brain Waves & Relaxation
- Reduces Stress & Enhances Immune System
- Decreases Depression
- Enhances Problem Solving Skills & Higher Learning
- Expands Access to Creativity State
- Activates Clearer Thinking, Heightened Awareness Facilitating Increased Energy and Efficiency
- Creates High-speed Subconscious Belief Change (Neuro-genesis)
Source: Neuro Connections Fall 2011
The action of having your limbs cross over the central energy meridians of your body reinforces the crossover connections between the two hemispheres of the brain. Putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth, closes the circuit between two meridians allowing you to retain the energy from your breath. Breathing in through your nose, activates the parasympathetic system. You will instantly feel your mind and body begin to relax.
Also, the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body and the left hemisphere control the right side of the body. Between the two hemispheres is a band of fibers called the corpus callosum which, when relaxed, acts as a bridge allowing both and the right and left brains to communicate and process information.
When researchers autopsied Einstein’s brain, they were expecting a significantly large pre-frontal cortex. What they actually found was his brain weighed slightly less than average but had a highly developed and thick corpus callosum. The researchers theorized that this larger corpus callosum, allowed him to use both sides of his brain simultaneously to solve problems.
CONCLUSION
Practicing the whole brain posture will allow you to use both left and right hemispheres giving you the ability to respond rather than react to stressful situations.
Susan K. Stone, Cht is a PSYCH-K Facilitator, Emotional Intelligence Instructor, Hypnotherapist & and ACIM Teacher.
Contact her at Susan@S2Evolution.com or call: 561.512.4760.
Transform Past, Present & Future Stress
Whole Brain Body Posture
We all know stress isn’t good for our bodies, emotional wellbeing and, in some cases, those close to us. When triggered, we may feel out of control, act irrationally and/or over consume. This is because there is a physical as well as emotional response to stress.
Over 1,400 chemicals are released into our system every time we are triggered by fear or stress. This hormonal chemical dump is only a part of the human “Fight/Flight Response”. Our subconscious mind, which is 500,000 x’s faster than our conscious mind, also tells our liver to stop detoxing, our digestion to shut down and sends oxygen to the large limb muscles getting the body ready to run, fight or hide. Because our subconscious can’t distinguish between a real threat (bear chasing you) or a perceived threat (thought of a bear chasing you), it automatically triggers the “Fight/Flight” reaction every time. Self-preservation is always the subconscious’ top priority and will easily override rational thought and behavior. Besides fearful thoughts, negative feelings, such as grief, anger, shame, can cause this fear/survival response.
The brain also creates a chemical barrier around the amygdala keeping your thoughts trapped in this fear center. This is why it isn’t always easy to think our way out of a stressful situation. Basically, the ‘danger’ alarm has been pulled and your subconscious is running the show. It’s not your fault, this is a primordial and very powerful subconscious program. As humans, we have lived many more years in caves fighting to survive than we have driving around in our SUV’s.
The good news is that you can override this reaction and even program in a new response to stress. It’s called the whole brain body posture, it’s simple and usually takes less than five minutes to do. Exercise is a great stress reducer but it’s not always practical or an immediate fix. For example, you can’t just leave the office to go for a jog whenever you feel “triggered” by your boss.
So when things get tense…politics at family dinner or your mother starts giving you unsolicited relationship advice…instead of going for another glass of wine or plate of food, take a five minute “time out” and try this technique to transform stress.
WHOLE BRAIN POSTURE:
1) From a seated position, simply cross your feet at the ankles, (left on top or right, whatever feels most comfortable) and then hold your arms out in front of you parallel to the ground, palms facing outwards. Next, cross your wrists, right over left (or left over right), palms are still facing the floor. Now roll you thumbs to the ground and your palms will be facing each other, clasp your palms together and interlace your fingers. Relax your hands in your lap or roll up into chest and relax.
2) Close your eyes, place your tongue at the roof of your mouth and breathe in through your nose. After a few breaths, imagine the stressful feelings, situation, person or event. Allow all thoughts and feelings to come up and process. (Allow the conscious mind to let go, avoid trying to think or resist feelings. The conscious mind is probably exhausted trying to figure it out. Tell yourself there is nothing your mind needs to fix or figure out because the subconscious, which processes a million times faster, will do the work automatically.) You may ask your inner awareness, “What do I need to allow or understand to let these feelings/thoughts shift to a place of peace or detachment?” An idea, such as, forgive, trust or let go, may come into mind. Continue doing this until you feel yourself shift to a place of peace, detachment and/or relief.
3) Unlock ankles and wrists, put your feet flat on the ground and place your hand on your thighs, palms down and image grounding (saving) that new feeling of peace/relief for 5 or more seconds. This step is like the save button on your computer. Remember to save your good work!!!
SCIENCE BEHIND THE TECHNIQUE:
Because the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body and the left hemisphere control the right side of the body, the action of having your limbs cross over the central energy meridians reinforces the crossover connections between the two hemispheres of the brain. Between the two hemispheres is a band of fibers called the corpus callosum which, when relaxed, acts as a bridge allowing both and the right and left brains to communicate and process information. Putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth, closes the circuit between two meridians allowing you to retain the energy from your breath. Breathing in through your nose, activates the parasympathetic system. You will instantly feel your mind and body begin to relax.
When researchers autopsied Einstein’s brain, they were expecting a significantly large pre-frontal cortex. What they actually found was a highly developed and thick corpus callosum which they theorized, allowed him to use both sides of his brain simultaneously to solve problems.
The whole brain posture also relaxes us out of the higher frequency beta brain waves into the slower alpha waves which is a super-learning and creative problem solving state. Most adults operate in the beta state and have a difficult time obtaining the alpha state except when dreaming or right before sleep. (There are many methods of accessing the different brainwave frequencies. Meditation and hypnosis are common but usually take more practice and time).
CONCLUSION: Practicing the whole brain position will allow you to use both left and right hemispheres so that you respond with a creative and logical mind rather than react to stressful situations from the fear mind. You will do yourself a world of good and bring peace to your life!
Benefits of Whole Brain Posture
Induces Alpha Brain Waves & Relaxation
Reduces Stress & Enhances Immune System
Decreases Depression
Enhances Problem Solving Skills & Higher Learning
Expands Access to Creativity State
Activates Clearer Thinking, Heightened Awareness Facilitating increased Energy and Efficiency
Creates High-speed Subconscious Belief Change (Neurogenesis)
*Source: Neuro Connections Fall 2011
Susan K. Stone, Cht
PSYCH-K Facilitator, Hypnotherapist, Emotional Intelligence & ACIM Instructor
Contact her at Susan@S2Evolution.com or call: 561.512.4760.
Copyright © S2Evolution. All rights reserved.